This invention relates to an apparatus for assembling ring-shaped articles, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for assembling a first ring-shaped article with a second ring-shaped article in an inseparable, mutually engaging manner preparatory to a final assembly of the two articles. The first ring-shaped article is, for example, a grommet and the second ring-shaped article is, for example, a wire ring. These grommet and wire ring are inseparably semi-assembled, preparatory to a final assembly for attaching them to the peripheral portion of an opening of an engine head gasket.
Gaskets are used in the engine head for automobiles. The engine head gaskets have an opening or openings corresponding to the engine cylinder bore or bores. The periphery of each opening of the gasket needs to be protected by a combination of a grommet and a wire ring. The wire ring is enclosed in a grommet that is bent to have a U-shaped cross section. By placing the wire ring in the grommet attached to the periphery of the gasket opening, the grommet is reinforced and becomes capable of maintaining its shape.
Heretofore, before attaching the combined grommet and the wire ring, the grommet and wire ring were prepared separately and conveyed to a place where the grommet and the wire ring were assembled manually, that is, the wire ring was manually put on the grommet. Thereafter, the combined grommet and wire ring were transferred to a machine where the combined grommet and wire ring were processed to be attached to the periphery of the opening of a gasket.
However, the manual operation of combining the grommet and the wire ring was time-consuming and not efficient. Moreover, during the transfer, once combined grommet and wire ring were sometimes separated.